Hot-metal mixer



July 24, 1928.

1.. E, ALLEN ET AL HOT METAL MIXER Filed July 6. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet IJuly 24, 1928. 1,678,455

L. E. ALLEN ET AL HOT METAL MIXER Filed July 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2A, in: v" if. l l L A A VHIIIIK I .3 EDI,

July 24,1928. 1,678,455 L. E. ALLEN ET AL HOT METAL MIXER Filed July 6,1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS July 24, 1928.

L. E. ALLEN ET AL HOT METAL MIXER Filed July 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet' 4INVENTOR Patented July 24, 1923.

. UNITED STATES ,PA ENr OFFICE EEJ! E. ALLEN AND some it. ruas'r, or NEwCASTLE, 1 ENNearIrimN1:A, lassIeNons ro PENNSYLVANIA ENGINEERING womrs,or NEw cAsrn PENNSYLVANIA,- a

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

HOT-METAL mxEE.

Application filed m a,

This invention relates to metallurgical apparatus, and .moreparticularly to receptacles for holding and" mixing molten metals andcommonly known in the art as hot metal mixers. I

Hot metal mixers, as heretofore used, have .generally been of two verydistinct types. The first type, most commonly 1n use, comprises arefractory lin'ed receptacle havlng a Substantially semi-circular ottomwith a flattened arched top, and with spouts at opposite sides thereof.These receptacles are generally. mounted on trunnions or rockers,

' and have a mechanism for efiecting a tilting 6 motion thereof.

' In the second type which has more recently been adopted, and which isused especially in mixers of very lar e capacity, the mixer issubstantially c lin rical with a spout in 90 one end at one, si ethereof for receiving the hot metal and a second s out on the oppositeside at the other end from which ot metal may be'poured. The mixer ofthis type is also mounted on trunnions or rollers and has a mechanismfor tilting it.

The former type of mixer has'certain disadvantages, especially where itis of large capacity due to the fact that quite an elabok ratestructural metal frame is necessary for so bracing the shell of the recetacle, it being 7 necessary to provide a series of '-beams under thebottom thereof to secure proper strength for the bottom of thereceptacle. Another diflicultywith a mixer of this type arises from thefact that it must have rather sharp corners at certain points therein,particular- Y 1y adjacent the spouts, and the refractory 1 linings bythe' 'hot metal. The corners serve, furgo; thermore to; form deadpockets where the instal an slag ay become more or less stagnant andpreven it from mixing as much as desired with the other metal in thereceptacle.

The-type of mixer having a cylindrical receptacle can be more readilybraced than the first type mentioned, the bracing consisting rimarily ofa series of hoops or annular eams surrounding the shell of the.receptable. The cylindrical mixer, however, is not in all cases asdesirable a form as the first type in caseswhere thephysical andchemi-cal fp'r'operties of the men cause it to be sluggish and viscous,as m these cases the .first type, on account" of its dlrect course,

at these corners are rapidl'y eroded 1926. Serial No- 120,857.

make it easier for the passage of the metal through the mixer with anaccumulation of less slag skulls.

'Accordingto the present invention it is proposed to modify the shape ofthe receptacle of the first type in such way as to simplify the bracingthereof and eliminate much of the structural metal required for bracingmixers of this type, adapting the mixer to a system of bracing somewhatsimilar to that employed in connection with thecylindrical mixers.

ty e lhe invention has for a further object to provide a mixer whereinthe inlet and outlet spouts may be oppositely located and wherein thereceptacle may have a large capacity relative to its overall. dimensionsand whereinsharp corners are eliminated so that the provide an improvedrocker construction for the receptacle and to provide an improvement 1nthe operating mechanism for. rockmg the receptacle wherein wear of theparts thereof assured. The invention may be understood byreferlining isless subject to erosion and the for- .86 may be readily detected andlubrication,

ence to the accompanying drawings which 7 illustrate one embodiment ofour invention, and in which:

Figure'l is a top'plan'of the mixer and operating means therefor;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus disclosed in Fi re 1;

Figure 3 is a bro en section showingan end elevation of a part of themixer and showing a vertical longitudinal section through apart of themixer;

F1gure'4 is an enlarged detail view of the lubricating mechanism for theoperating screw;

Figure 5 is a detail inverted perspective view of one end of operatingnut which cooperateswith the operating screw.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 designates the receivingchamber of the hot metal mixer and 6 and 7 are receiving and dischargespouts respectively. The main body of the receptacle is bowed outwardlywith respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, this axis beingrepresented by the broken line AA in Figure 1. The lower portion of thisreceptacle is transversely circular, being of decreasing diameter towardthe ends by reason of the bowed shape of the receptacle, while the roofof the receptacle is somewhat flattened, as indicated by the part 8. Inother words, the receptacle is.

substantially barrel-shaped as clearly shown in Figure 1, but has itstop side slightly flattened as most clearly indicated in Figure 2. Thetwo end'walls 9 of the receptacle are outwardly arched, therebyproviding a spherical interior wall at the inner ends of the chamber 5.

Substantially the entire structure has a shell 10 made up of metalplates, and this shell supports the refractory lining 11.

The shell is braced by a. plurality of structural bands or hoops 12,preferably two one of which is located at each side of the spouts 6 and7 These annular bands 12 are connected at several points around thereceptacle by longitudinally extending tension rods 13 about which arespreaders or spacing sleeves 14. In addition to this, metal bands 15 maybe suitably arranged longitudinally of the central portion of thereceptacle and similar bands arranged radially, and designaged 16, maybe provided on the spherical en s.

Due to the particular barrel-shape of the receptacle, together with thespherical ends thereof, sharp corners are avoided so that the lining isnot washed away at particular points by the erosive action of the moltenmetal. The lining is arched in all directions so that its has a maximumstrength and life, and by reason of the barrel-shape of the steel framethe supporting sides of the receptacle are thrown into tension, givingincreased strength to the frame work and requiring that it be lessheavily constructed than where the supporting sides are in compression.In addition, a large capacity is obtained relative to the overalldimensions of the structure. A

The structural bands 12 not only providethe main supporting frame forthe mixer, but provide rockers for engagement with the rollers on whichthe receptacle is supported. These rollers are clearly shown in Figure 2and are of the double equalizing type. The mounting for the mixerincludes the base 17 having opposed holders 18 pivotally supportedthereon at 19. Each of the holders 18 in turn carries' two smallerholders 2O thereon pivotally supported in the holders 18 at 21. Each ofthe holders or equalizers 20 carries a pair of rollers 22 which areflanged. .A support of this kind is provided at each side of thereceptacle, and the respective bands 12 are set on the rollers thereof.

The mixer may be tilted on the rockers in the usual manner. Inaccordance with the usual practicewe prefer to use two operatingmechanisms designated generally as -23 and more or less diagrammaticallyillustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Each operating means 23 includes a screwshaft 24 operatively connected with a motor 25 and movable along thethreaded portion of the shaft is a nut 26. Connected with the trunnions27 on the nut 26 are links 28 whose other ends pivotally connect to theunderside of the receptacle at 29. Upon rotation of the screws .24 thenuts 26 are reciprocated to effect atilting or restoring movement to thereceptacle. Each of the nuts 26 is preferably of the construction shownin Figure 5, having a main portion 26 which is of the usual form andprojecting from at least one end thereof is an extension 26 that engagesonly the upper portion of the threaded shaft 24:. The advantage of thisparticular .construction re sides in the fact that when wear develops'inthe threads, it can be readily observed by merely looking at or feelingthe fit of the threads between the shaft 24 and the threads on theextension 26 We also preferably employ means for positively lubricatingthe nuts 26. To this end, each nut operates in a trough 30 which ispreferably covered and which hasa longitudinal slot 31 therealong. Thelubricating system itself is best shown in Figure 4 and includes anozzle 32 secured to the nut and opening into a passagethat communicateswith the interior threads of the nut.

This nozzle has a T connection 33 at its upper end. Leading in oppositedirections from the T 33 are pipes 34 in which are check valves 35. Eachof the pipes 34 passes through a packing 34 at the end of a cylinder 36andihas a piston 37 at its end, this piston being open so that fluid maypass from the cylinder into the pipe. Extending down from each of thecylinders 36 is an in take pipe 38 having a strainer 39 at its lowerend. this strainer having a check valve associated therewith.

The arrangement of the check valves in the system is such that when thenut is traveling along the screw in one direction, the check valve 35 onthe side in the direction of travel of the nut will be open and thecheck valve in the strainer at 39 on the side toward which the nut istravelling will be closed. The other check valve 35 will be closed? andthe other check valve at 39, away from which the nut is moving will beopen. With this arrangement oil or lubricant will be sucked up the pipe38 into the cylinder 36 away from which the nut is moving while oilwhich has previously entered the cylinder 36 toward which the nut ismoving will be confined against escape and will be forced nut. When thenut travels in the reverse direction the action of the two pumps will bereversed. The terminals 39 on the pipes 38 are located at opposite endsof the troughs 30.

With this mechanism positive lubrication of the nuts and of the threadedshafts is assured, and lubrication is effected only when it is neededand without necessitating the provision of lubricating means.

the mixer .struction that wear in the threads can be readily detected.

While we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of ourinvention, it

will be understood that the invention is not confined to the particulararrangement and embodiment disclosed, but that it may be otherwiseembodied within the spirit of our invention and under the scope of theappended claims. 1

We claim:

1. A hot metal mixer comprising a body which is outwardly bowed betweenits ends relative to itslongitudinal axis,ends on the body which arerounded outwardlyboth transversely and vertically, said ends beingclosed below the longitudinal axis of the body, the top of said bodybeing transversely curved to a less extent than the remaining portion ofthe body, spouts located on opposite sides of the body intermediate itsends, and means for tiltably supporting the body.

2. A hot metal mixer comprising a sub stantially barrel-shaped bodyhavin an nular supporting rings adjacent the end portions thereof,tension rods connecting the supporting rings, and means for tiltablysupporting the body.

3. A hot metal mixer comprising a substantially barrel-shaped body,supporting rings on the body adjacent opposite ends thereof, tensionrods connecting the supporting rings, and spreaders around the tenslonrods between the rings.

4. A hot metal mixer comprising a substantially barrel-shaped bodyhaving outwardly rounded ends, spouts on the body interm'ediate the endsthereof, a supporting ring encircling the body adjacent each endthereof, and tension rods connecting the supporting rings.

5. A hot metal mixer comprising a substantially barrel-shaped bodyhaving out-- wardly rounded ends, spouts on the body intermediate theends thereof, .a supporting ring encircling the body adjacent each endthereof, asubstantially barrel-shaped structural metal frame surroundingthe body and connected with the rings, and means secured to each ringconnecting the rings and holding them in spaced relation.

6. The combination with a. hot metal mixer'having supporting rockersthereon, of a s pporting means includin a base, a pair of tiltableholders on the iase under each rocker, a pair of smaller holderspivotally carried. on each of said first holders, and rollers on thesmaller holders engaging the rockers of the mixer. e

7. The combination with a hot metal mixer of reciprocating meanstherefor including a link, a nut to which the link is connected, athreaded shaft with which the 'nut cooperates, and means for rotatingthe shaft, said nut having an extension on one end thereof, saidextension being threaded and engaging a ,,portion of the threaded shaftonly whereby any looseness between the threads on the shaft and thethreads on the nut may be seen.

8. The combination with a hot metal mixer, of means for effecting atilting motion thereof including a threaded rotatable shaft, a nutcooperating with said shaft and lubricating means for the nut includinga pump operatively connected with the nut.

9. The combination with a hot metal mixer, of means for eifecting atilting motion thereof including a threaded rotatable shaft, a nutcooperating with said shaft and lubricating means for the nut, saidmeans including a pump having a cylinder and a piston, said piston beingoperatively connected with the nut whereby oil is gpumped to' thenutupon reciprocation of the nut along the threaded shaft.

10. The combination with, a hot metal mixer, of means for effecting atilting motion thereof including a threadedrotatable shaft, a nutcooperating with said shaft and lubricating means for the nut includinga pump, said means including a pair of oppositely located cylindershavingwalved intake connections, each of said cylinders having a pistonslidable therein, a pipe rigidly connectingv each piston with the nut,said pipes, having check valves therein, whereby oil ispumpedalternately tothe nut from the respective cylinders uponreciprocation of the nut along the screw.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

LEE E. ALLEN. JOHN K. FURST.

